Yay...snow!
I know my Michigan friends and family would not be so happy with more snow, but I was so excited to see that we got almost a foot of snow since yesterday. It was so beautiful, and since I didn't have to go anywhere today, it didn't keep us from anything.
After a ten minute ordeal of getting snow things on, I took the girls outside, only to be back inside about ten minutes later because Ally was so upset. I think she was just moody and is having a tough time feeling 100% better after being sick last week, but she also gets upset because she hates having gloves on. I had tried letting her play on the porch with a plastic ladle and a plastic container, but no dice. So I decided to put her down for a morning nap.
Fifteen minutes later Becca and I were back outside enjoying the snow and sunshine. Becca used her own child-sized shovel to move snow and I shoveled our whole front sidewalk and steps up to our house. That is hard work and I stopped many times to catch my breath. We definitely got our 30 minutes (and more) of physical activity in today!
Becca mostly enjoyed eating snow and throwing snow on me. We were about to go to the back yard to shovel our sidewalk to the garage, but then Nate knocked on the window and we saw that Ally was up. Maybe tomorrow the snow will be willing to be shaped into a snowman. Becca has been so hoping to build one ever since we read Stranger in the Woods.
I have pictures, but I have to get them on the computer yet.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Instruction Manuals
I've decided that one of the best ways to help me make my decision about what type of _______________ (insert whatever you are looking to buy--in my case, compost tumbler) to buy is to read the instruction manual. I have found a couple of the manuals online to download and they have helped me see how the composter really works in day to day uase, not just how it is advertised.
Reviews and such are also helpful, of course, but the instruction manuals have given me a few extra things to think about and have revealed information that was not available in the advertisements for the composters.
I've decided that one of the best ways to help me make my decision about what type of _______________ (insert whatever you are looking to buy--in my case, compost tumbler) to buy is to read the instruction manual. I have found a couple of the manuals online to download and they have helped me see how the composter really works in day to day uase, not just how it is advertised.
Reviews and such are also helpful, of course, but the instruction manuals have given me a few extra things to think about and have revealed information that was not available in the advertisements for the composters.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Compost Tumblers
These are ones I'm considering:
1. Urban Compost Tumbler
2. Sun-Mar 200
3. Rolypig
4. Envirocycle Composter
I would list the pros and cons, but I'm still trying to feel better from being sick for the last 24 hours, so it seems like too much effort to think it through right now.
Edited to Add:
Another composter...an indoor electric one that friend pointed out to me.
NatureMill Indoor Composter
It only uses about $0.50 of electricity a month and you can put dairy, meat, and fish products in it along with the usual veggie and fruit scraps. It takes about 2 weeks to produce compost and I can use it throughout the winter and put it right in my kitchen so it would be easy to dump scraps in there. Hmmm...
These are ones I'm considering:
1. Urban Compost Tumbler
2. Sun-Mar 200
3. Rolypig
4. Envirocycle Composter
I would list the pros and cons, but I'm still trying to feel better from being sick for the last 24 hours, so it seems like too much effort to think it through right now.
Edited to Add:
Another composter...an indoor electric one that friend pointed out to me.
NatureMill Indoor Composter
It only uses about $0.50 of electricity a month and you can put dairy, meat, and fish products in it along with the usual veggie and fruit scraps. It takes about 2 weeks to produce compost and I can use it throughout the winter and put it right in my kitchen so it would be easy to dump scraps in there. Hmmm...
Friday, January 16, 2009
Pictures up in gallery
I am long overdue for getting pictures up in our gallery. They are up through December 2008. You need the username and password to get on there, so leave a comment or email me if you need it.
I am long overdue for getting pictures up in our gallery. They are up through December 2008. You need the username and password to get on there, so leave a comment or email me if you need it.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Wall-E
Nate and I watched this movie the other night and I just watched the audio commentary. I really liked the movie and thought the commentary revealed some interesting background info. I hadn't realized that the epilogue (showing how the people faired back on Earth) during the credits is shown through the history of art, so the first drawings are cave drawings, then hieroglyphics and so on, ending at impressionism. Very cool.
Nate and I watched this movie the other night and I just watched the audio commentary. I really liked the movie and thought the commentary revealed some interesting background info. I hadn't realized that the epilogue (showing how the people faired back on Earth) during the credits is shown through the history of art, so the first drawings are cave drawings, then hieroglyphics and so on, ending at impressionism. Very cool.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
2009 Goals and Projects
Though it doesn't quite feel like a new year because it happened in the middle of the week, but even so, I like the feeling of starting new. This year, I have some goals or resolutions that I hope will be doable. And I have some projects that I hope to accomplish...all by the grace of God.
Goal #1: To read God's word to and with Becca and Ally everyday, at least at bed time, but also at other times during the day. We want God's word to be hidden in our hearts and the best way to do that is to be reading it.
Goal #2: To be active with my kids for at least 30 minutes a day--walking, dancing, biking, hula-hooping, kicking around a soccer ball, playing with the trikes in the basement, swimming. We want physical activity to be a normal part of our daily life. Even better if the physical activity includes being out in nature.
Goal #3: To read living books to Becca and Ally everyday, throughout the day. We already do this, so we want to continue it.
Goal #4: To "do art" with the girls at least once a week--painting, drawing, paper mache, cutting paper, embroidery, etc.
Goal #5: To get up early enough in the morning for both Nate and I to shower and our family to eat breakfast together before Nate goes up to work. This will probably be the toughest goal, but it would be so nice to be ready for the day and to begin it with breakfast together.
Goal #6: To attempt to call our parents once a week, our grandmothers twice a month, our siblings once or twice a month, and my close friends once or twice a month. I guess this is also a tough one. Email and Facebook are much easier avenues for me to communicate with people since I can do it late at night once the girls are in bed. We'll see how this one goes.
Goal #7: To find spare moments for prayer. I know there are many small ones. The most obvious one is when I'm rocking Ally to sleep after we are done singing and the music is on. I could really have a lot of time to pray to my heavenly father if I'd take advantage of that time. Doing dishes is another really good time.
Goal #8: To do at least one thing each day that serves my husband and nurtures our marriage. This should be one of the first goals, actually. :) Whether I sacrifice to give him 20-30 minutes to unwind after coming down from work (his En Gedi--yes, I've been listening to Mark Driscoll's Song of Solomon series) or if it's to regularly initiate some time of intimacy each week or it's to listen to him talk about work or it's to make some cookies he really likes.
Project #1: Ally's baby book of her first year. Done digitally on the iMac through iPhoto. I have one or two months done. My poor husband was a sewing widower, now he'll be a photo project widower or something like that.
Project #2: Catch up to the present on my photo albums...this is after Ally's book is done.
Project #3: Put together our wedding album...we've been married nearly six years and still don't have an album since I didn't order one from our photographer. I have all the photos, just not put in an album.
Project #4: Plant a garden. Plan it, construct a square-foot garden, plant the garden, tend the garden, and harvest it. I'm both excited and super nervous about this one. The garden will contain tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, swiss chard, and basil. Maybe also zucchini. I will try to make it as chemical-free as possible. The girls will also participate as much as possible.
Project #5: Landscaping the front yard. All I know is that we are going to plant a tree on the left side of the porch. Other than that, I have no idea.
I will try to update goals and projects a few times during the year. Probably at Easter first.
Though it doesn't quite feel like a new year because it happened in the middle of the week, but even so, I like the feeling of starting new. This year, I have some goals or resolutions that I hope will be doable. And I have some projects that I hope to accomplish...all by the grace of God.
Goal #1: To read God's word to and with Becca and Ally everyday, at least at bed time, but also at other times during the day. We want God's word to be hidden in our hearts and the best way to do that is to be reading it.
Goal #2: To be active with my kids for at least 30 minutes a day--walking, dancing, biking, hula-hooping, kicking around a soccer ball, playing with the trikes in the basement, swimming. We want physical activity to be a normal part of our daily life. Even better if the physical activity includes being out in nature.
Goal #3: To read living books to Becca and Ally everyday, throughout the day. We already do this, so we want to continue it.
Goal #4: To "do art" with the girls at least once a week--painting, drawing, paper mache, cutting paper, embroidery, etc.
Goal #5: To get up early enough in the morning for both Nate and I to shower and our family to eat breakfast together before Nate goes up to work. This will probably be the toughest goal, but it would be so nice to be ready for the day and to begin it with breakfast together.
Goal #6: To attempt to call our parents once a week, our grandmothers twice a month, our siblings once or twice a month, and my close friends once or twice a month. I guess this is also a tough one. Email and Facebook are much easier avenues for me to communicate with people since I can do it late at night once the girls are in bed. We'll see how this one goes.
Goal #7: To find spare moments for prayer. I know there are many small ones. The most obvious one is when I'm rocking Ally to sleep after we are done singing and the music is on. I could really have a lot of time to pray to my heavenly father if I'd take advantage of that time. Doing dishes is another really good time.
Goal #8: To do at least one thing each day that serves my husband and nurtures our marriage. This should be one of the first goals, actually. :) Whether I sacrifice to give him 20-30 minutes to unwind after coming down from work (his En Gedi--yes, I've been listening to Mark Driscoll's Song of Solomon series) or if it's to regularly initiate some time of intimacy each week or it's to listen to him talk about work or it's to make some cookies he really likes.
Project #1: Ally's baby book of her first year. Done digitally on the iMac through iPhoto. I have one or two months done. My poor husband was a sewing widower, now he'll be a photo project widower or something like that.
Project #2: Catch up to the present on my photo albums...this is after Ally's book is done.
Project #3: Put together our wedding album...we've been married nearly six years and still don't have an album since I didn't order one from our photographer. I have all the photos, just not put in an album.
Project #4: Plant a garden. Plan it, construct a square-foot garden, plant the garden, tend the garden, and harvest it. I'm both excited and super nervous about this one. The garden will contain tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, swiss chard, and basil. Maybe also zucchini. I will try to make it as chemical-free as possible. The girls will also participate as much as possible.
Project #5: Landscaping the front yard. All I know is that we are going to plant a tree on the left side of the porch. Other than that, I have no idea.
I will try to update goals and projects a few times during the year. Probably at Easter first.
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